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purpose of this preliminary web site is to collect my thoughts,
habits, and comments about fitness. In an effort to voice my opinion
about certain fitness myths, I have channeled my commentary into
this page. No personal responsibility will be accounted for on my
suggestions, for they are merely advice that I myself have found
successful. Any information that is considered false or inaccurate,
feel free to email me. |
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Carbohydrates-
Any of a group of organic compounds that includes sugars, starches,
calluses, and gums and serves as a major energy source in the
diet of animals. These compounds are produced by photosynthetic
plants and contain only carbon, hydrogen, and oxygen, usually
in the ratio 1:2:1. (Definition from dictionary.com)
Carbohydrates
are the body's primary energy source. The body was designed to
run on carbohydrates as its first choice of energy and this source
of power fuels the body for just about any demand placed upon
it. As a person breathes, the body uses carbohydrates to accomplish
such an action; when people walk, talk, run, lift weights, dance,
and many other tasks are sustained from carbohydrates as the first
choice of energy that creates these common activities. Emphasis
cannot be placed enough on how important and valuable this nutrient
is to the human body.
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Carbohydrate Or Not To Carbohydrate?
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common misconception is that carbohydrates are the enemy. In actuality,
carbohydrates are our friends. As previously stated, carbohydrates
are our primary energy source and our bodies depend on it for energy.
Many people that struggle on a limited carbohydrates diet can vouch
for me on this one. When the body is carbohydrate deprived, the
individual becomes extremely fatigued and moody. Being nearly every
thing that we want to eat is a carbohydrate; most individuals go
to severe extremities in an effort to avoid something that they,
in fact, do need in the first place. For instance, breakfast time
instead of cereal, a nice healthy one of course, carbohydrate-haters
will consume bacon and eggs? Their whole cholesterol intake gone
in a single meal! The fact is, any energy source that is abused
and taken in greater amounts than recommended; that being carbohydrates,
fat, or protein, will be stored as fat if not utilized. Which brings
us to the question of to carbohydrate are not to carbohydrate? Will
restricting carbohydrates cause an individual to loose weight? Of
course it will! People loose weight from not consuming carbohydrates
because they are reducing their total daily caloric intake. For
example, instead of eating a sandwich for lunch, those on the limited
carbohydrate diet will take off the bread, which saves the dieter
about 120 calories, cutting out all bread, say for instance an individual
consumes four slices of bread a day, that is a reduction of 480
calories. In the course of seven days, or one week, that reduction
of calories is 3360 calories, which is a little over a pound. At
face value when reviewing that scenario, a person loosing a pound
a week without much effort is amazing, but at what cost? Which leads
me to the next point, can individuals that work out with limited
carbohydrates? Yeah, but that would defeat the purpose of a fitness
routine, that being, carbohydrates are our primary energy source.
When the regimen starts Monday, it would be foolish to say that
one day of no carbohydrates would affect that workout, but after
several days, it is almost guaranteed that an individual's performance
will suffer and the body will accomplish little if any gains in
strength and tone. I dare anyone to run on a treadmill for an hour
without any carbohydrate intake on that day. |
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You
Can Eat Bread, Damnit!
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I love it when people tell me they are not eating bread because
it will make them fat. The "no carbohydrate" zealots preach
to people that bread is the antichrist. Sure, eat all the meat you
like, but whatever you do, stay away from the breads! This scenario
perplexes me for many reasons. A real world example explains why
bread can be and should be enjoyed. One common practice when eating
a hamburger is to take off those fatty buns or bread. Never mind
the burger is loaded with fat, cholesterol, calories, and other
lurking evils, just take off the bread and everything is okay. Suppose
for demonstrative purposes only a person acquires an "ultimate
cheeseburger" from Jack in the Box. That guilty pleasure will
cost the fledgling dieter almost 1000 calories. Yet, taking off
the bread will subtract only a mere 140 calories. A remaining 860
calories are still devoured and consumed, which is over half the
daily intake of most dieters. Instead of taking off the bread, with
is not at all fatty, unless it has been buttered or sweetened, why
not remove those extra condiments; such as cheese, which is loaded
with over half its total calories as fat, mayonnaise, let's not
discuss the fat content in that gooey mess, and others. Leave the
meat and the bread and eat in peace. Only about 5 to 10 calories
make up fat calories in bread.
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How
Much Fat Is Too Much?
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answer is simple to this question if the person learns to read those
little labels the government mandates that all containers must have-the
nutrition facts. A general rule of thumb is to avoid all food that
has more than 1/3 fat or over. Yet do not fret about fat because
most food is going to have a little fat, which is not at all bad,
because our bodies need and crave this source of energy. Fat most
effectively burned when doing any form of cardiovascular training
past twenty minutes. The first twenty minutes the body uses primarily
carbohydrates, after that, fat becomes the primary energy source
for the reminder of the time the body is cardiovascular challenged. |
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Department
of Agriculture's Food Pyramid
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The
food
pyramid is a daily guide for a healthy diet depending on the
individuals' caloric needs. If loosing weight is the goal, then
eat the minimum suggested serving. An alternative to the Department
of Agriculture's food pyramid is the Mayo
clinics own food pyramid for individuals
that want to loose weight. Body builders consume mid servings
of each food group. Athletic runners usually eat a lot of carbohydrates.
Those that believe cutting out bread is going make them loose
weight perplex me? A slice of bread, without butter of course,
has 70 calories with only 5 calories of fat. If fat intake is
the goal, avoid foods that have calories equaling more than a
third of the total calories.
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Why
Protein Diets Do Not Work
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Protein-
Any of a group of complex organic macromolecules that contain
carbon, hydrogen, oxygen, nitrogen, and usually sulfur and are
composed of one or more chains of amino acids. Proteins are fundamental
components of all living cells and include many substances, such
as enzymes, hormones, and antibodies, which are necessary for
the proper functioning of an organism. They are essential in the
diet of animals for the growth and repair of tissue and can be
obtained from foods such as meat, fish, eggs, milk, and legumes.
(Definition from dictionary.com)
A lot of fad diets, usually stressing protein, instruct followers
not to consume carbohydrates-they are wrong. Protein is the body's
third choice for energy and should not be consumed more than 10-20%
of your diet. Although fat is a secondary energy source, it is
only effectively burned after the first 20 minutes of any cardiovascular
activity. The body requires energy to accomplish the demands placed
upon it, and reducing carbohydrate intake, lower that the Department
of Agriculture's recommended amount, has severe consequences.
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